Harden heating up for Houston Rockets team looking for identity in first season with Howard

In this Jan. 8, 2014 photo, Houston Rockets' James Harden (13) goes up for a shot as Jeremy Lin looks on in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, in Houston. Harden is heating up for the Houston Rockets. He's put foot and ankle problems behind him and has scored 113 points combined in the last three games. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
(The Associated Press)

In this Jan. 8, 2014 photo, Houston Rockets' James Harden, right, is double-teamed by Los Angeles Lakers Wesley Johnson, left, and Robert Sacre (50) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Houston. Harden is heating up for the Houston Rockets. He's put foot and ankle problems behind him and has scored 113 points combined in the last three games. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
(The Associated Press)

James Harden is heating up for the Houston Rockets, his foot and ankle problems no longer looking like much of a problem.

He has averaged more than 37 points the last three games — welcome news for an inconsistent team dealing with injuries in its first season with Dwight Howard.

Harden is enjoying the roll, but says it's more important that the team wins and plays the right way. Houston has won two in a row and starts a four-game road trip Friday in Atlanta.

Harden's scoring outburst is something that hasn't been seen in Houston in almost two decades. He's the first Rocket to score at least 37 points in three straight games since Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon did in 1994-95.